Motor-driven device for tilling the soil.



H. I. WASHBURN. MOTOR DRIVEN DEVICE P bR TILLING THE SOIL.

APPLICATION-FILED NOV. 25, 1910.

,1 7 Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

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. MOTOR DRIVEN DEVICE FOR TILLING THE SOIL.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 25, 1910.

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H. I. WASHBURNU MOTOR DRIVEN DEVIGE FOR FILLING THE SOIL. APPLIOATIONTILED NOV. 25', 1910.

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Iwmmr i/ererimwm/iz H. I. WASHBURN. MOTOR DRIVEN DEVICE FOR TILLING THE SOIL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25,1910.

1,087,620., Patented Feb.'17, 1914.

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lmsewlor Wwmom in earns Parana current HERBERT I. WASH-BURN, OF LAUREL SPRINGS, NEW JERSEY.

MOTOR-DRIVEN DEVICE FOR 'I'ILLING THE SOIL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1?, 3 914.

Application filed November 25, 1910. Serial No. 584,059.

To allwhom it may concern Be it known that I, HERBERT I. VVAsI-I- BURN, of Laurel Springs, in the county of Camden and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motor-Driven Devices for Tilling the Soil, whereof the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawis caused to travel in a spiral path about a central controlling means.

'These and other objects will in part be obvious, and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention, Figure I, is a plan view of an apparatus or device embodying my improvements. Fig.

- ii, is a side view of the same. Fig. III, is a sectional view on the line III, Ill, of I. IV, is a sectional view on the line 1V, IV, of Fig. I. Fig. V, is an enlarged detail view partly in section, showing the central controlling post.

In carrying out my invention, I have provided a main frame 1, wnich consists of side pieces 2, 2, connected at its ends by suitable cross pieces. Located between the side pieces 2, 2, of the main frame, is a bull wheel 3, which is of the usual construction, and said wheel is mounted in suitable bearings 4, 4, carried by the main frame. At the rear end of the frame is a guide wheel 5, which is journaled in a suitable bracket 6, carried by a vertical post 7, journaled in the end of the main frame 1.

In order that the main frame may be properly balanced on the bull wheel, I have provided an outrigger arm 8, on which is journaled a wheel 9. Said outrigger arm 8, is preferably pivoted at 10, to a bracket carried at the forward end of the main frame 1. Abracerod 11, is connected near the outer end of the outrigger arm, and to a suitable lug 12, on the main frame. This brace-rod will rigidly hold the outrigger arm 8, in a position substantially at right angles to the path of travel of the main frame.

In the operation of my device, the main frame is preferably caused to travel about a central guiding post, and the outrigger-- arm will of course, be so positioned that the supporting wheel 9, will be between the main frame and the central post. In order that the main frame may be caused to travel in 1' either direction about a central post, I have pivoted the outrigger arm 8, as above described. By removing the brace' rod 11,- the outrigger arm may be quickly swung to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. Land i when the brace rod is again connected to said arm and the frame on the opposite side of the device, then said supporting wheel 9,

will be pro mrly positioned, for the propelling of the device in the opposite direction about the central post. I

The device is propelled by a motor :13, which may be of any desired type orconstruction. ,Said motor is mounted upon a suitable base or frame 14, which is remov-w ably secured to the side members 2, 2, of the main frame, by means of bolts 15. Mounted in laterally projecting brackets 16, carried by the supporting base 14, is a double crank shaft 17. Said crank shaft carries a sprocket wheel 18, on its outer end, which is connected by a sprocket chain 19, to a smaller sprocket wheel 20, on the main shaft of the motor- 1 v Said crank shaft 17, has a universal connection with a shaft 91, which is mounted in suitable bracket frame. A sprocket wheel 2?), on the shaft carried by the main 21, is geared by a sprocket chain *to a,

sprocket wheel 24, on the shaft 25. Said shaft 25, carries a beveled gear 26, meshing with a beveled gear 27, mounted on a cross shaft which carries a small gear meshing with the gear 28, carried by the bull wheel Any suitable clutch may be used for connecting the sprocket pinion 23, with the shaft 21, and said clutch may be controlled by a hand wheel 29. It will thus be seen that as the motoris set into action the crank shaft will be rotated. which will in turn through its intermediate connections, rotate the hav cled gear 27. By the proper manipulation. of the friction clutch through the hand wheel 29, the sprocket pinion ZB' mav-be locked to the shaft 91, and thus the bull wheel propelled by the motor.

heroin show n, l have provided two implements 230. and 3'51, for tilling the soil.-

soil operated upon, or suitable for the desired cllcct sought. to be secured upon the soil. As; herein shown, said implements consist of two prongs each of which has a sharpened edge 32. The implement 30, is clamped at the lower end of an operating post 33, which is pivotally connected at its upper end to a suitable bearing with a crank on the crank shaft. 17. Said post at a point adjacent its lower end. is pivoted at 34, to one end of a swinging link 35. which in turn is pivoted at 36, to a depending bracket 3'7, carried by the supporting; base 14. The implement 31, is rigidly connected to the post. 38, which pivoted through a suitable hearing at. its upper end, to the other crank on the crank shaft 17. Said supporting post. 38. is also pivoted adjacent its lower end to a link 39, which in turn is pivoted to the bracket 37.

From the above description it will be apparent that l have rovided a device for tilling the ground, w rich is propelled by a motor, and wherein the implements for till ing the ground are also independently driven by the motor. In order that said device may be continuously operated without special care or attention, I have provided automatic means for causing the device to travel in a predetermined path, which as herein shown, is a spiral path about a central controlling post. In Fig. V, I have shown the central post 40, which is adapted to be inserted in the ground, and braced by suitable guy wires 41. At the upper end of the post is a winding drum 42, which may be attached to the post in any suitable way. Passing centrally through the drum, is a steel shaft 43, which carries at its upper end a bracket 44, supporting a. guiding pulley 45. The shaft 43, is threaded at 46, at its lower end, and said thread tits in a threaded nut or bracket 47, secured to the lower end of the drum 42, by screws 48.

The bracket or threaded nut 47, is provided with an oil pocket or chamber 49, and a port 50, is formed through the threaded portion of said bracket. A controlling wire 51, is attached to the drum 42, so that as the wire 51, is carried about the drum, it willbe wound thereon. As the bracket 44, moves about the winding drum, the thread ed steel shaft 43, will be gradually lowered into or raised from the threaded nut, and the wire properly positioned for smoothly winding on to the drum. The outer end of the wire passes over a pulley 52, mounted on the outer end of an arm 58, carried at; the forward end of the main frame 1, and is connected in any suitable way with an arm 54, whichjs attached to' the upper end of the vertical supporting post for the bracket in which the guide wheel is mounted. A second arm 55, is also connected to said post 7, and is normally held by a spring 56, in contact with a stop lug 57. Said spring 56, is normally under tension and will hold the parts in the position indicated in Fig. T, of the drawings. With the parts positioned as shown in the figure, it will be seen that the line of movement of the main frame will be perpendicular to a line joining the post and the tractor. This will at once put the guide wire 51, under strain, which will overcome the tension of the spring 56, and turn the guide wheel so that the direction of movement of the frame will be a spiral path about. the central post. If foranv reason said frame should move :lrom'tho desired path toward the central post, so as to relieve the strain of the guide wire, the spring 58, will throw the guide wheel as to bring the frame back into the proper path. By the proper adjustment of the tension of the spring 56, I am able to guide the main frame in a spiral path about. the central post.

.A dash pct 51, is conncctcd with the arm 58, which. is attached to the. vcrtical post 7, and tends to prevent falsc vibrations in the guide wheel. When it is desired to guide the device in the other direction about the central post, the guide wire 51, is connected to the arm 58. The spring 56, is mounted on a swinging plate 59, which is held in position by a suitable pin 60. By lifting the pin 60, the plate 59, may be swung through an arc of 180 degrees so as to reversethe pull of the spring 56, on the guide wheel, to accord with the connection of the guide wire with the arm 5S.'

It is obvious that the character of the too forming the implement for engaging the ground, may be varied without in any way departing from the spirit of my invention. lit is also obvious thatminor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts, may be made without in' any way sacrificing the principles of my invention,"or departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the claims. 4

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. A motor ropclled device for tilling the ground, inclu ing in combination a frame,- means for supporting said frame, an imple ment for engaging the ground carried by said frame, a motor, means for moving said frame by said motor, a. central controllinmeans, a guiding wheel for guiding said frame, and a flexible connection between said guide wheel and said central controlling means, whereby said frame is caused to travel in a predetermined-path.

2. A motor driven device for tilling the ground, including in combination a frame,

.supporting means for said frame, a guide wheel for said frame. a 'motor carried by the try: so and having operative connection for propelling the frame, an implement for cngaging the ground carried by said frame,

nosneao controlling the frame, an i plement for engaging the ground carric by said frame,

means'for actuating said implement from said motor, a central controlling means, and a flexible connection between said controlling means and said guide wheel, whereby said frame is caused to travel in a spiral path.

. 4:. A motor driven device for tilling the ground, including a supporting frame, a

motor carried by the frame, means for sup-- porting and moving the frame operated by said motor, implements for engaging the ground carried by said frame, a guide Wheel connected to said frame, a spring under ten sion for holding said guide wheel normally in alinement with the longitudinal-axis of c the supporting frame, a central post, and flexible means connected at one end to said post and Winding thereon, and connected at its other end to said guide Wheel for turn ing the same against the tension of said spring.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this twenty-second day of November, 1910. 4

HERBERT I. WrldHBURN.

ll' itnesses James H. BELL, E. L. FULLERTON. 

